HC bench row: Naveen to hold talks with agitators today

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will hold talks with the representatives of Central Action Committee (CAC) of lawyers on Saturday at the state secretariat.

The state government's offer for talks to the agitators follows the green signal given by the State Election Commission ( SEC).

The ongoing stir for a High Court (HC) bench in western Odisha has entered the fourth day on Friday. The stir has disrupted functioning of government offices in the region.

"The government should withdraw the Pal commission immediately and send recommendations to the Centre for a permanent bench of the HC in western Odisha," said Ashok Das, convener, CAC after attending the meeting of the lawyers at Sambalpur.
 

Lawyers and political leaders supporting setting up of a HC bench in western Odisha have been staging agitation since Tuesday to press for their demand.

Law minister Maheswar Mohanty said, "We are hopeful that the meeting called by the chief minister will yield some result."

Meanwhile, opposing the setting up of a permanent bench in western Odisha, the High Court Bar Association has resorted to cease-work on Friday.

"The agitation in western Odisha is undemocratic and the demand does not fulfill the criteria of setting up a bench. There is no question for setting up a second bench of the high court in Odisha," said Milan Kumar Badu, vice president, Odisha High Court Bar Association. On the contrary, the lawyers association of Bolangir and Rourkela are demanding the establishment of the bench in their respective cities.

The lawyers in northern Odisha are also agitating for a High Court bench there.